by Lindsay H. Jones, USA TODAY Sports

by Lindsay H. Jones, USA TODAY Sports

DENVER â?? The final pass of Peyton Manning's marvelous comeback season ended up in the arms of a Baltimore Ravens defensive back.

Manning, Denver's 36-year-old quarterback, played five full quarters in frigid temperatures Saturday, threw three touchdown passes, including one that gave Denver a lead midway through the fourth quarter, but this is what we'll remember:

Manning, again, faltered in the playoffs.

Manning's overtime interception -- his third turnover of the game -- led to the Ravens' game-winning field goal nearly two minutes into the second overtime period, as the Ravens won the AFC divisional playoff game, 38-35, and Manning fell to 9-11 in postseason games in his career. More importantly to the Broncos, Manning is now 0-1 as Denver's quarterback in the playoffs.

"Bad throw," Manning said. "Probably the decision wasn't great, either. I thought I had an opening, and I didn't get enough on it, and I was trying to make a play and certainly a throw I'd like to have back."

The stunning loss -- which included a 70-yard touchdown by the Ravens with 31 seconds remaining in regulation to send the game into overtime -- brought a sudden and stunning end to what had been one of the best stories in the NFL. Manning returned from four neck surgeries and a year away from football to lead his new team on an 11-game winning streak and the No. 1 seed in the AFC.

But there will be no dream AFC Championship Game matchup against Tom Brady and the Patriots and no homecoming trip to play in a Super Bowl in his hometown of New Orleans -- and Manning said the finality of it all stung.

"I know how much time I put into this season. I think the more you put in, that's why it does hurt," Manning said. "Everybody's hurting in that locker room, because guys really have worked. It if didn't matter to you, it probably doesn't hurt as much, but I know it matters, certainly to me, and I know it matters to a lot of guys in that locker room."

That final interception will stick with Manning, as will the interception he threw in the first quarter. That pass deflected off the hands of wide receiver Eric Decker, and Corey Graham, who intercepted Manning's overtime pass, returned it 39 yards for a touchdown.

That score was part of a frenetic first quarter in which the two teams combined to score three touchdowns in the first 5:11 of the game, and four touchdowns in the first 11 minutes. The fourth of those touchdowns was vintage Manning â?? a perfect lob to the back right corner of the end zone to one of his best friends, 36-year-old receiver Brandon Stokley. The pair connected on the same play in San Diego four months ago, when Denver's winning streak started.

That pass, and the 14-yard touchdown pass to Knowshon Moreno that followed in the second quarter, were the types of throws and plays that prove why Manning deserves all of the consideration for the league's MVP award that he received.

Much of the rest of it, however, was mind-boggling, from the play-calling to the execution.

Manning was responsible for all three of Denver's turnovers Saturday, the pair of interceptions and a third-quarter fumble after he tried to pull the ball back down after his intended receiver, Demaryius Thomas, couldn't get open.

The officiating crew spent many minutes trying to determine the result of the play, and if the "tuck rule" applied. The crew determined it did not, and Manning agreed.

"I thought it was probably a fumble," he said. "Certainly a possession I'd like to have back."

Manning recovered from that miscue to lead Denver on another touchdown drive, and tossed a screen pass to Thomas that went 17 yards for a touchdown that gave the Broncos a 35-28 lead. The stadium erupted, just as they did four minutes later when safety Mike Adams knocked down Joe Flacco's pass on fourth down.

Manning certainly could burn 3:16 off the clock, preserve the win and begin preparing for New England or Houston, right?

The Broncos called runs for rookie Ronnie Hillman on the next five plays. Denver picked up one first down, and, after a Hillman carry for no yards on a third-and-seven, the Broncos punted with 1:15 remaining.

"That was an audible," Manning said. "Actually, I called that play, so don't put that on (offensive coordinator) Mike (McCoy). We just didn't do much with it."

Manning was sitting on the sidelines, wearing a parka and a ski cap, as the Ravens tied the game on a 70-yard bomb from Flacco to Jacoby Jones.

Manning would get one final possession. Certainly Manning and the Broncos, with 31 seconds on the clock and two time-outs, would take a shot down field, try to at least get into field goal range, right?

Manning took a knee, and the offense jogged off the field to prepare for overtime.

"I don't really have a lot of thought on it," Manning said, when asked about that decision. "If you never get the ball, you certainly can think that. We had the ball in overtime. We had chances, didn't do it."

Manning will return to Denver's training facility on Sunday for the final time this season. He has four years remaining on the five-year, $96 million contract he signed last March, and his 2013 and 2014 salaries will be guaranteed if he's on the roster when the new league year begins this March.

Even though the pain and disappointment were still so raw Saturday night, Manning said he has the energy and motivation to try to go through it all again. Manning will turn 37 in March, about a month before voluntary off-season workouts begin.

"I accomplished a lot more this year than I certainly thought that I would have personally, and I think this team exceeded its expectations as well," Manning said. "We'll certainly deal with the future as it comes, but I'm certainly proud of this team and what this team went through to get to this point."